Warriors: Scattered Shadows
by HexTala
Summary: Ever wondered what happened to the clans after Firestar died? Well, take a journey into Ferndapple's life and see what happened...and how she will rip three clans down to the heart. And how it will affect the clans later...


Rise of The Night

Warriors

Scattered ShadowsWarrior Books By Erin Hunter:

**Warriors**

Into The Wild

Fire and Ice

Forest of Secrets

Rising Storm

A Dangerous Path

The Darkest Hour

**The New Prophecy**

Midnight

Moonrise

Dawn

Starlight

Twilight

Sunset

**Power Of Three**

The Sight

Dark River

Outcast

Eclipse

Long Shadows

Sunrise

**Omen of The Stars**

The Fourth Apprentice

Fading Echoes

Night Whispers

Sign of The Moon

The Forgotten Warrior

The Last Hope

**Dawn of The Clans**

The Sun Trail

Thunder Rising

The First Battle

The Blazing Star

A Forest Divided

Warrior Books by Lizzy Mankin:

**The Unofficial Warriors**

**Rise of The Night**

Scattered Shadows

Fractured Sunlight*

Cracked Night*

Broken Starlight*

Snapped Darkness*

Shattered Moonlight*

**Fall of The Stars***

Fallen Stars*

Living Ancients*

Breathing Wind*

Stalking Shadow*

Flying Thunder*

Roaring River*

**Tunnels of Secrets***

Whispering Forest*

Singing Meadow*

Swift Waters*

Dappled Stone*

Dark Secrets*

Moonlit Stream*

**The Unofficial Warriors Supers**

Dewstar's Chance

Half Moon's Path*

Stormfur's Choice**

Flamepelt's Journey*

Ivystorm's Fight*

*only idea's at this time, but strongly considering due to storyline/plot

**idea due to original story/plot

**ALLEGIANCES**

**Thunderclan**

Leader **Dewstar**- elderly small white she-cat with blue eyes, oldest leader

Deputy **Sparrowflight-** Light brown tabby she-cat with black stripes

**Apprentice- Fernpaw**

Medicine Cat** Yarrowleaf-** Light gray tom with ice blue eyes

**Apprentice- Ivypaw**

Warriors **Hollowpelt**- black tom with copper eyes and white muzzle

** Apprentice- Leafpaw**

**Birdtail**- dark brown tabby she-cat with white tail tip

**Stripeclaw**- large black tom with large front claws

** Apprentice- Woodpaw**

**Larkfang**- White she-cat with green eyes

** Apprentice- Redpaw**

**Fangtooth**- black tom with one white paw and missing ear, formally of Shadowclan

**Longstripe**- longhaired golden tom

** Apprentice- Sparkpaw**

** Timberspot**- Large dark gray tom with a gold ear

Apprentices **Ivypaw**- very small dusky brown she-cat with twisted front leg

**Fernpaw**- silver she-cat with bright green eyes

**Leafpaw**- light brown she-cat

**Woodpaw**- very dark brown tom with gray eyes

**Redpaw**- russet tom with startling brown gold eyes

**Sparkpaw**- ginger she-cat

Queens **Plumwillow**- dusky gray she-cat, mother of Fangtooth's kits, Nettlekit (pale tabby tom) and Stormkit (Dark gray tom), Flarekit (dark red she-cat)

**Grasstangle**- longhaired black she-cat, mother of Stripeclaw's kits, Shadekit (black she-cat), Shadowkit (black she-cat), Strikekit (longhaired pale black tom), and Blackkit (dark gray tom)

Elders **Amberdrop**- blind, once beautiful dark golden she-cat, oldest cat in the Clans, littermate to Dewstar

**Orangestone**- pale golden tabby tom with white spot on forehead

**Starlingeye**- young pale tabby tom, retired early due to blindness

**Shadowclan**

Leader **Pinestar**- Pale elderly gray tom

Deputy **Addertalon**- black tom with starling ice blue eyes

Medicine Cat **Needlespot**- Mottled black and gray tom with white patched fur

**Apprentice- Fallowear **(Molted ginger she-cat)

Warriors **Poolnose**- light gray tom

**Viperfang**- black tom with copper eyes

** Apprentice- Smokepaw**

**Vemoncloud**- Pale black she-cat with white chest

** Apprentice- Dawnpaw**

**Petalfury**- white and black dappled she-cat

Queens **Juniperbranch**- Light gray tabby she-cat

Elders **Rainfoot**- dappled gray tom, blind in one eye

**Scatterpelt- **ruffled tabby she-cat

**Windclan**

Leader ** Hawkstar- **large molted brown tom

Deputy **Ashpetal- **small gray she-cat

Medicine Cat** Rabbittail- **elderly white tom with no tail

Warriors **Gorseflame- **longhaired tabby tom with orange ears

** Apprentice- Breezepaw**

**Dawnbreeze- **white she-cat with kink in her tail

**Antspot- **white tom with black spot on his chest

**Apprentice- Hailpaw**

Queens **Yellowfeather- **ginger she-cat, mother of Daisykit and Krestlekit

Elders **Loudheart- **beautiful white she-cat

**Riverclan**

Leader **Streamstar- **longhaired blue-gray she-cat

Deputy **Minnowheart- **darker blue-gray she-cat

**Apprentice- Splashpaw **(light gray tom)

Medicine Cat **Troutface- **large elderly gray tabby tom

Warriors **Reedtail- **cream tom with thin tail

** Shellmoss**- thick furred silver she-cat

**Mossear- **silver tom with dark eyes

**Apprentice- Willowpaw **(white fluffy she-cat)

**Crowstem- **black tom, formally of Windclan

**Flamepelt- **long legged bright ginger tom with ice-blue eyes, former Skyclan warrior

Queens **Carpdawn**- cream furred she-cat, mother of Stemkit (light gray she-kit), Flowerkit (white she-kit with brown paws), and Pebblekit (dark gray tom)

Elders **Mistheart- **thin gray she-cat

**Fogsniff- **watery gray she-cat with one blind eye

**Skyclan**

Leader **Echostar- **small white she-cat with red tail

Deputy **Branchswipe- **large brown tom with shredded ear

Medicine Cat **Songstripe- **pale gray she-cat with black striped tail

Warriors **Speckletail- **golden and black patched she-cat

**Apprentice- Sparrowpaw**

** Thrushfoot- **brown tom with one white leg

**Harestreak- **pale brown she-cat with white stripe along side

**Ashtail- **dark gray and brown tom

Queens **Squirrelfur- **dark ginger she-cat, mother of Ratkit (dark brown tom), Larkkit (light ginger she-cat), and Rockkit (golden brown tom)

Elders **Pebblefur- **gray tom

**Sandpelt- **ginger she-cat with amber eyes

**Cats Outside The Clans**

**Ink-** young black tom, lives on lake shore in Thunderclan territory but catches fish

_**Prologue**_

"_Bluestar." The voice carried through _the warm air of Greenleaf. Though that was the only season found in Starclan. Leafbare had come once but every cat was glad it was over.

A blue gray she-cat who had been resting peacefully on a log opened her eyes and looked around. "Over here." Her blue eyes focused on a bush that was currently rustling as though there were a cat hidden inside.

A large flame colored tom stepped out from behind the bush, with a paler red she-cat on his heels. Her green gaze glittered as she eyed her former leader.

Bluestar purred. "Hello Firestar, hello Sandstorm."

Firestar dipped his head. "I've noticed unrest in the clans again."

Sandstorm pressed her pelt against Firestar's. "The Ancient cats have been talking about another prophecy." Sadness and curiosity floated through her eyes for a moment but she shook her head to clear it way.

The bushes rustled and a dark brown tom stepped out. "They want to send another prophecy to the clans; they believe the clans are in danger once again."

"What danger?" Bluestar snapped her head around to look at the newcomer, her blue eyes staring straight into his amber ones. "Bramblestar, there hasn't been danger to the clans since Firestar joined us." She thought for a moment. "Well, not since Dewstar stopped that fight all those moons ago.

The bushes behind Bluestar rustled and a white she-cat stepped out, followed by a pale tabby tom with blue eyes. The she-cat spoke, her voice echoing as though they were in a cave. "Something is coming, something terrible that even I cannot see yet, and we must warn the clans."

"But how can we warn them of something we do not know of Half Moon?" Firestar asked gently. He looked at the tom. "Jayfeather, have you seen anything?" His voice betrayed the hope he was feeling.

Jayfeather sighed and closed his eyes. "I wish I had Firestar, and I've even asked Rock and Midnight if they have seen or heard something but all Midnight said was that the dark will rise."

"Surely she doesn't mean the Dark Forest?" Bluestar sat up, tail twitching. The fur along her spine rippled as she remembered the dark forest that once bordered their own, separated by only a wall of mist. Only the darkest cats had gone there, having done things in their lives that Starclan had thought were too vile for them to be allowed to roam the lush forest that Bluestar and all the other clan's lived in. Such cats had given up the will of Starclan to follow their own bloody paths for selfish ambitions. Bluestar remembered with a pang about Tigerstar, who had tried to kill her then taken over the clans, only to be killed by a cat named Scourge. The dark tabby was now dead from even the dark forest, having been killed by Firestar after he started a war among all four clans, turning clanmate against clanmate.

"Dark Forest can come again, but only when new leader steps forward." They all jumped at the sound of the deep voice but everyone's pelt flattened when Midnight stepped from the bushes next to Bramblestar. "Scared of Starclan and Tribe of Endless Hunting they are, but only one will brave facing clans again." She snorted crossly, her eyes like shining berries. "Though next coming shall be worse. Next time, something more to be feared than Tigerstar shall appear."

"Jayfeather! I think we found something!" A large golden tom burst from behind Jayfeather and skidded to a halt before he knocked him over, startling everyone. Firestar flicked his tail in annoyance; he had his jaw opened to ask Midnight what she had meant.

Jayfeather flicked his tail in annoyance. "Lead the way Lionstar." Lionstar nodded then pelted away towards the mountain in the distance. Jayfeather followed his brother with Half Moon at his side. He could sense the other cats running behind him.

Lionstar skidded to a halt at the edge of a cliff, steadying his paws when Jayfeather ran into to him. "Looks down there." He flicked his tail and every cat looked down to where a dark and decaying forest stood. Or where it at one time had stood. Now the entire forest was in flames. "I was hunting and saw this."

A black she-cat padded towards them, a sparrow in her jaws. "Lionstar, Jayfeather, so you noticed this too?" She dipped her head towards the other cats. "I saw this a few moments ago and thought that I was dreaming." She chuckled slightly. "Though I don't think we can dream of something like this here can we?"

Jayfeather touched her ear with his tail. "I don't think we can dream of this in Starclan Hollyleaf." He stared down at the flames, when something caught his eye. Crouching down, he flicked his tail at a single tree. The others looked and a small gasp escaped from Bluestar. Only one tree stood apart from the flames. As they watched, the time stretched out. Slowly, one by one, all the other trees fell or burnt out, leaving behind blackened logs, charred stumps, and thick ash falling through the air.

"Bluestar, is there a way to get down there?" Firestar asked his old mentor. The fur on the back of his neck was bristling.

Bluestar nodded and flicked her tail for them all to follow. She led them around holly bushes and past a lone oak. Leaping over a stream, she led them to a dip in the ground.

Hollyleaf stopped her then led the way down the narrow tunnel. Soon the Starclan cats came to a small cave. Hollyleaf tasted the air then led them down a winding tunnel that slopped downwards for a while. Suddenly Hollyleaf stopped. "Wait here." Waving her tail, she pelted forward suddenly until the others couldn't see her. After what seemed like a moon, she returned with a pale gold and white patched tom.

Jayfeather dipped his head to the tom. "Fallen Leaves. It is good to see you again."

Fallen Leaves purred, his tail resting on Hollyleaf's back. "Come with me. Hollyleaf says that you're going down to the Mist Forest. I can lead you there from here." Swiftly, the faded tom sped down the tunnel with the other cats on his heels. After a few heartbeats, all the cats could smell the scent of burned wood. Fallen Leaves slowed down and stopped, the others clustered behind him like frightened kits. Firestar stepped forward carefully, keeping his pawsteps light. One by one, the others followed him.

Jayfeather wrapped his tail protectively around Half Moon as a branch fell on the ash-covered ground. His blue eyes, no longer blind since he joined Starclan many moons ago, were stretched wide with curiosity and fear.

"Oooh…." There was a low moan of pain and Jayfeather turned to see a cat he didn't recognize laying under a burned log, ash covering his pelt.

Bounding over, Jayfeather sniffed the tom. The cat opened his eyes and screeched in fear when he saw Jayfeather, making the other cats come over. Jayfeather nodded to Lionstar and the large tom shifted the log enough to get the trapped cat out. Carefully sniffing the cat over, Jayfeather blinked. "Who are you?"

Firestar hissed suddenly, startling everyone. "Darkstripe!"

The dark tom struggled to his paws the tried to pelt away but fell after just a few pawsteps. As Firestar stalked up to him, he let out a whimper. "Please don't kill me!"

Bluestar laid her tail over Firestar's back gently, though her eyes betrayed the fury she was feeling at seeing a cat that had assisted Tigerstar many times. "What happened here?" She tried to keep the ice from her voice.

Darkstripe shrank in front of her, his fur shaking. Ash fell off in clumps as he spoke. "I was just running to the cliff to get away from the fire when that branch fell on me. I don't know how that fire started!" Backing away, the dark pelted tom bolted away, sending ash flying in his wake.

Sniffing around, Hollyleaf picked up a rotten scent. Licking her jaws, she flicked her tail at Sandstorm who padded over to check the scent. Opening her jaws, Sandstorm nodded and began stalked the scent in order to find the source. Silently, the others padded behind her.

Sandstorm fell backwards as a cat jumped out in front of her, making her tumble back into Firestar and Bluestar. Spitting crossly, she rounded on the newcomer but relaxed when she saw the familiar gray pelt. "Oh Yellowfang, it was just you."

The old medicine cat spat. "Of course it's me you mouse-brain! What are you doing here?" Her ungroomed pelt was covered in ash, as though the elder couldn't shake it off.

Bluestar twitched her whiskers with curiosity and amusement. "We should ask you the same."

"I came to see that old oak that's still standing." The she-cat snorted then lapped at her chest where some ash was clinging, though it only smeared it into her fur.

Snorting, Jayfeather padded past the old snaggle toothed elder and padded towards the oak without waiting for the others. Exchanging confused looks, the others padded after him without another word.

Jayfeather stopped beneath the tree, his tail bristling after a few moments. Once the others had caught up to him, Bluestar let out a gasp.

In front of them, there was a single shredded crow feather lying across the body of a she-cat they all knew. Spottedleaf, who had died again saving the clans and who they all had seen fade away, was lying beneath the oak. Firestar let out a cry when he looked past Bluestar and pelted towards Spottedleaf's body. But before he could reach it, there was a yowl and he was bowled over by a black pelted cat.

Unsheathing his claws, Firestar shoved the cat away and backed up. Flicking his gaze to Bluestar, he asked cautiously. "Who are you?"

The cat snarled and bared her fangs, which gleamed almost black from age. "Of course Starclan would forget me. Not even the tribe remembers me!" Her pelt was as sleek as a crow's feather, her fangs gleamed like night, but her eyes were so orange they seemed red against her dark pelt. Her long tail was stretched up high over her back, longer than even the previous Windclan leader's, Tallstar.

Half Moon padded forward then leapt back when she caught a whiff of the she cats scent. Her voice shaking, she flicked her tail for the others to leave. When Jayfeather shot his faded mate a curious look, she shook her head. "Go warn the clans." Her voice suddenly grew cold and echoed as though many cats spoke. _"When the moonlit fern grows by a river, the crow shall land on a burning ember."_

Nodding, Jayfeather was the last to pelt away. He felt his heart tug as he pelted away from his mate but he kept going. Once they all had reached the cliff, there was a sharp echoing cry and every cat stopped to look. One by one, they looked at Jayfeather, who had crouched on the ground, his jaws gaped in a silent wail. After he stood up, he padded back to the tunnel; without turning around, he snarled. "I will deliver her message to the cat she spoke of." Whipping his tail, Jayfeather padded his way to a sleeping form he could see in their nest. Snorting, he crossed his way to them, glad their pelt was bright enough to see even on a dark night.

**Chapter 1**

"Fernpaw, come on. Dawn patrol." A light brown she-cat called into the apprentices den. With a flick of her tail, she stood in the center of the camp and waited for the rest of the patrol to wake up and join her.

Yawning, a silver she-cat stumbled out of the apprentice's den and made her way over to the brown she-cat. "Do I have to?" Her tail dropped with exhaustion. She had been on the midnight patrol and had only been asleep a short time.

Sighing, the older cat flicked her tail. "Would you rather check the elders for ticks all day?"

The silver she-cat straightened up at once. "No Sparrowflight. I'd love to go on the dawn patrol."

Stifling a purr, the deputy watched as a few cats came out from the warriors den. A dark brown she-cat padded out with a dark gray tom close behind. The tom flicked his gold ear and stifled a yawn. Having been made a warrior less than three moons ago, the tom hadn't been on a dawn patrol since his vigil.

Sparrowflight flicked her tail in greeting. "Timberspot, Birdtail. Birdtail, why don't you go get Sparkpaw. Since Longstripe is in the medicine den you can take his apprentice for now."

Dipping her head, the slender she-cat bounded over to the apprentice den and called for the ginger she-cat. Yawning, the apprentice padded out towards the waiting cats. "Can I get something to eat first?" Her blue eyes sparkled; the apprentice was clearly excited to go out on a dawn patrol but he stomach growled loudly.

Sparrowflight shook her head. "When we get back. You'll have to wait til then."

"Don't worry. We usually don't take long." Fernpaw flicked her younger denmates ear lightly.

The patrol padded through the thorn tunnel as a tabby tom padded up to them with a small brown she-cat at his heels. Her front leg was twisted around so it appeared backwards but the apprentice didn't let it bother her. The tom dipped his head. "Can we accompany you for a while? We need fresh herbs for leaf-fall."

Sparrowflight dipped her head to the medicine cat. "Of course. Do you need a warrior escort for the way back?"

"No thank you. We won't be far from the camp today if we can help it." The medicine cat purred then flicked his tail at his apprentice. "Ivypaw, don't be afraid to ask your clanmates for help ok?"

Hissing crossly, the small she-cat swiped her twisted paw at him. She had almost trained as a warrior despite her leg but two dawns after her apprenticeship started, she chose to be a medicine cat; but she never let anyone help her unless she had no choice. Even the kits knew better than to cross her or ask if she needed anything.

Sparrowflight nodded and the seven cats padded out into the forest. Sparrowflight and Birdtail occasionally had Fernpaw and Sparkpaw check for scents while Yarrowleaf and Ivypaw kept an eye out for herbs. As they neared the Moonpool stream, the two medicine cats said goodbye and padded onwards into the territory as the patrol headed back to the camp.

"Fernpaw? Can you come check the elders for ticks?" Sparrowflight flicked her tail as she called to her apprentice. Fernpaw, who was currently pulling old bedding from the nursery, flicked her tail to show she heard then set the moss down near the thorn tunnel. Grabbing a mouse and a shrew for the elders, the silver apprentice padded to where the elders were basking on some sunlit rocks. Sunhigh had past but the basking rocks were still plenty warm in the Greenleaf sunlight.

An old dark golden patched she-cat lifted her head as Fernpaw approached. "Is that Fernpaw with a shrew?" Her milky eyes turned to Fernpaw as she set down the shrew in front of the elder. Sniffing the shrew, the once beautiful golden she-cat gave a soft mew of delight and sank her teeth into the prey.

An orange tom with a white spot on his forehead flicked his tail in greeting as Fernpaw laid the mouse in front of him and a younger tom. He sniffed the mouse appreciatively then took a bite before pushing the rest to the other tom. Turning to the blind she-cat, he laid a tail on her flank. "Amberdrop, Fernpaw is going to check you for ticks first." He turned to the younger tom. "Starlingeye, she can do you next since I can get my own fleas."

Starlingeye, a light tabby, flicked his denmates ear. "Thank you Orangestone but I can get my own fleas." With a snort, the blind tom began grooming his pelt, occasionally cracking a flea between his teeth. The young tom was only two season cycles old but he had been injured in a battle and lost his eyesight when he didn't heal. Blind cats like him were unfortunately becoming common so now warriors from all clans were forbidden to attack another clan cats eyes. It seemed as though the old medicine cat of Thunderclan, Jayfeather, had thought the clans could learn more from blind cats as warriors. When he had left his post as a medicine cat and become the first clan scout, he had sparked something in the clans and now all the clans had special cats that were either blind of injured or just had acute senses; all those cats were forbidden to fight like a warrior.

Fernpaw walked over to Amberdrop and began pawing through her fur gently. "Amberdrop, do you need your bedding cleaned as well?"

Amberdrop purred. "No thank you Fernpaw, but thank you for asking. Since you're being so kind I think I'll tell you a story."

There was a squeal and suddenly there was a black shadow moving across the clearing. The seven kits had heard Amberdrop and were pelting across the clearing to her, sending stray newleaf leaves flying in their wake. The biggest of the kits, Stormkit, took a few steps forward. Though he was only four moons old, Stormkit was already the size of an apprentice. "Amberdrop, tell us about Lionstar!"

Amberdrop purred. "Very well." She shifted to get more comfortable then continued, her tail curled neatly over her paws. "Lionstar was a brave warrior many many moons ago. He was a warrior when Bramblestar was leader, even when Firestar was leader! But when Squirrelflight, the first deputy of Bramblestar, was killed by Shadowclan, he was made deputy in her place. For a few short moons, he was deputy before Bramblestar joined Starclan.

"For many seasons Lionstar led his clan fairly alongside his first deputy Snowfeather, who is still remembered for fighting off a fox single pawed, but in his last lives he became cruel, misguided, and battle hungry."

The kits eyes were wide, making it look as though a flock of black feathered owlets had landed in the camp. Fernpaw flicked her ears, remembering that Snowfeather had also been Amberdrop and Dewstar's brother.

Amberdrop took a bite of freshkill before continuing. "In his last three lives, Lionstar led a battle against Shadowclan and wounded so many warriors on his own that Starclan took one of his lives to stop the fighting. Then he led a raid to capture Windclan and killed Ashstar with a single blow. Took all her nine lives at once!"

"But what about his last battle?" A small longhaired kit asked. He bounced on his toes, clearly excited; but after a fierce glare from Orangestone, he settled back down.

Flicking her tail towards the kits, Amberdrop shifted her paws. "In his last battle, to punish Thunderclan for what they had done, Windclan fought them here, in the camp. Their new leader, Crowstar, cornered Lionstar on Highledge. The rest of the battle seemed to stop as the two leaders faced off. Lionstar lost his footing and fell straight down. That was the moon when Dewstar became leader. She's been leader since then." The old she-cat let out a wistful sigh then struggled to her paws. "Now, I need to rest for a while. You kits stay out of the elder's den alright?" Though she snarled those last words, her tone was light and friendly.

Fernpaw was pushing the rest of the shrew to Starlingeye when the kits jumped on her. Letting out a dramatic cry, Fernpaw fell heavily on her side and didn't move.

Stormkit prodded her warily, the other kits now behind him. He looked at Orangestone. "Did we kill her?"

The elder twitched his whiskers with amusement then leaned towards the kit and whispered, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Maybe. Jump on her again to be sure."

The kits all squealed and leapt on Fernpaw, who gently pawed at them, her ruse broken. Some of the warriors padding by purred with amusement.

There was movement on Highledge and a voice cracked with age called out. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highledge."

Fernpaw shoved the kits off gently and pawed them towards their mothers sitting outside of the nursery. "We'll play later kits." Still purring, Fernpaw padded over to Sparrowflight, wondering what was happening. She tipped her gaze towards Dewstar and was shocked to see how frail their leader looked. She was used to Dewstar looking powerful and calm and wise despite her great age but the leader looked worried, making her look almost seasons older than what she was, if that were possible. The elderly leader was so old that even the other clans were surprised that she was not blind of deaf or in Starclan by this time; she had outlived the Windclan leader, Tallstar, and some cats thought she still had a few moons left. Fernpaw looked around and noticed some of the other cats looked worried as well.

Then Fernpaw looked around and saw Yarrowleaf padding through the thorn tunnel, his pelt covered in blood. Two warriors, a white she-cat and a large black tom, were padding through the tunnel with Ivypaw propped between them. Fernpaw remembered Larkfang running into camp earlier and whisking inside Dewstar's den before racing outside the forest with another warrior.

Birdtail pelted forward. "Ivypaw!" The she-cat pushed the two warriors away from her daughter, her eyes wild with fear.

Dewstar padded down to the waiting cats. The entire clan was so quiet; Fernpaw could hear a leaf falling outside the hollow. Slowly, the elderly leader padded up to Yarrowleaf. Her voice, though cracked with age, was calm and questioning. "What happened?" Her eyes glittered with worry and curiosity.

Yarrowleaf sank his claws into the ground, squeezing his eyes shut. "There was a fox…it attacked Ivypaw and I…I tried to save her…but she was bleeding so much." The medicine cat collapsed to the ground. Thick heavy sobs racked his body. Fernpaw suddenly found the strength to move and slowly padded towards her littermates body. She felt a tail on her back and looked to see Dewstar padding with her.

They stopped beside Ivypaw's body, where Birdtail was still crouched. Dewstar stopped beside Birdtail and touched her ear with her nose. "She would've made a great medicine cat. Starclan will welcome her." Dewstar turned around to face the clan. "From now on, medicine cats must be accompanied by a warrior at all times when leaving the camp. And I may not know the medicine cat code, but I believe the other medicine cats and leaders would agree; medicine cats must train alongside warriors from now on. Their training must include the basics of how to hunt, and fight almost any enemy. It may take twice as long but this should never happen again."

Yarrowleaf struggled to his paws. The tom was only three season cycles long, but he looked old beyond his moons as he spoke. "I shall travel to the Moonpool tomorrow night with the medicine cat's and tell them. No medicine cat should ever be unable to defend themselves from any animal; whether it be cat or anything else." His head down and tail trailing behind him, he padded into his den in the cliff wall.

Birdtail lay down beside Ivypaw's body and began cleaning the blood off her fur. Fernpaw joined her. Once the blood was cleaned up, Fernpaw looked at her mother. "I should've stayed with her. I should've gone with her and Yarrowleaf while they gathered herbs."

"It wasn't your fault." Birdtail's voice faltered for a heartbeat. Then she glared towards the medicine cat's den, her voice suddenly full of hatred. "It was his!"

Dewstar laid her tail gently on Birdtail's flank as Timberspot padded up. He dipped his head at Dewstar then lay next to Birdtail, stroking her flank gently with his tail. Dewstar stood at Ivypaw's head and looked towards the sky. The first warrior of Starclan was faintly shining already, as though to welcome the apprentice. "I say these words before Starclan. Ivypaw died an apprentice, and even though I may be no medicine cat, I send her to you as Ivystorm. She had the heart of a warrior and the soul of a medicine cat, despite how she looked. She was always the first to help the clan when something was wrong and she would've made both Thunderclan and Yarrowleaf proud as a medicine cat." Dipping her head, the clan copied.

After a few moments, Yarrowleaf padded out of his den and carried Ivystorm into the middle of the clearing. He groomed her fur gently, as though she were only sleeping, then proceeded to cover her in rosemary and watermint. He hadn't cleaned himself of blood and anytime a cat tried to help him, he sent them away with a snarl.

Fernpaw padded through the thorn tunnel, a sparrow in her jaws. Setting it down on the pile, she padded over to Birdtail and Ivystorm. She lay down and pressed her nose into her sister's fur, aware of Birdtail next to her. Her paws ached with exhaustion. Since Ivystorm had been brought to the camp, she had been in the forest on her own. As the moon grew higher in the sky, Fernpaw fell asleep.

"Fernpaw." There was a tom speaking nearby but Fernpaw didn't rouse. "Fernpaw, wake up." A paw prodded her side and her eyes flew open. In front of her stood a pale tabby tom, his blue eyes faded as though he were blind.

Fernpaw jumped up, startled. She looked around and saw she was still in the hollow, with Birdtail still beside her. She jumped back but Birdtail didn't react.

The tom twitched his whiskers with amusement. "It's alright, you fell asleep."

Fernpaw looked at the tom, noticing the starlight around his paws. "Are you from Starclan?" Since the fall of the Dark Forest, Starclan was still believed in but not even the medicine cats saw them very often. Occasionally they sent an omen, but it was only for choosing a new medicine cat, a new leader if both the deputy and previous leader had died, or when something bad was about to happen. Otherwise, the ancient cats kept to themselves.

The tom nodded. "My name is Jayfeather. I was the medicine cat and the first scout many moons ago. Come with me, I must show you something."

Fernpaw quickly shut her jaw, which had dropped open, and padded after the old medicine cat into the medicine cat den. Inside, a shaft of moonlight shone on a fern laying the clearing.

Jayfeather flicked his tail at the fern. "Touch your nose to it; I must show you something."

Shivering as though it were leafbare already and not late Greenleaf, Fernpaw carefully touched it with her nose. With a screech, she was flung through a torrent of images and sounds. Yarrowleaf's voice talking about herbs, the clans during a gathering, a tom's smooth voice in her ear, then the mewl of newborn kits and a river, then the last image was of a crow's feather landing in a small fire that's flames were almost out.

Suddenly Jayfeather's voice was in her ear as she woke up. "When the moonlit fern grows by a river, a crow shall land on a burning ember."

**Chapter 2**

"Fernpaw, are you alright?" Sparrowflight stopped and looked back at her apprentice.

Fernpaw stopped and blinked at Sparrowflight. "Yes." She turned to pad towards the lake but stumbled on a branch.

Sighing, Sparrowflight bounded to Fernpaw's side and helped her up. In the past six dawns since Ivystorm had been buried, Fernpaw had been stumbling, missing almost every piece of prey she came across even though it was greenleaf, and Sparrowflight had even caught her about to wander across the Shadowclan border the day before. Nudging the apprentice back towards camp, she spoke gently. "Fernpaw, maybe you should spend the day in the camp with Yarrowleaf and Birdtail." Yarrowleaf hadn't left the medicine cat den except to make dirt and Sparrowflight thought that maybe he just needed some company. Plus she didn't want to see her apprentice get hurt anymore. _'Or cause a border dispute.' _She add silently to herself. Even though the forest had bloomed into late Greenleaf, Fernpaw's pelt was bright enough to be seen if she was on the wrong side of the border.

Once in the camp, Sparrowflight led Fernpaw into the medicine den, where the silver apprentice laid down just inside the entrance. There was a rustle in the back of the cave and Yarrowleaf stepped out. His normally sleek pelt was dirty and matted. Bits of dirty moss clung to his back and his eyes were dull and unfocused. His eyes fell on the two she-cats and he started to curl his lip until he saw Fernpaw. Without looking at her, he asked Sparrowflight. "Is she hurt or is she still grieving?"

"Still grieving. Is there anything you can give her?" Sparrowflight's eyes betrayed the worry her expression hid, her tail drooping low.

"I may give her a poppy seed but just let her lay in here for a while. I'll send her back to her nest tomorrow evening." He laid his tail on Fernpaw and gently coaxed her to a moss nest near the pool of water. A golden tom lay in the other nest, snoring softly.

Dipping her head, Sparrowflight backed out of the den.

"Here, try to eat." Yarrowleaf set down a mouse in front of Fernpaw but she just blinked. Three dawns had passed and she refused to eat. Though it was Greenleaf, the apprentice looked thin and unkempt, as though she were ill or stuck in leaf-bare.

Dewstar had come to see Fernpaw herself but Yarrowleaf sent even her away. "She's just grieving. She blames herself for what happened; just give her some time." He had told everyone who checked on her.

Longstripe, his golden pelt glowing near the back of the den sat with the apprentice when Yarrowleaf left the den. The tom told any cats that came into the den the same thing. He could be back in his nest but didn't want to leave the silver she-cat.

Longstripe stroked Fernpaw's flank gently; her ribs were beginning to show. "You need to eat."

Fernpaw just laid her head on her paws and stared blankly at the mouse. Yarrowleaf and Longstripe glanced at each other; Yarrowleaf padded out to the clearing after looking down at Fernpaw again. He made his way up Highledge and gasped. Dewstar was in her nest, her eyes glazed and jaws open. Yarrowleaf covered the distance in one bound and felt his leader's flank with one paw.

"Dewstar, I'm going to-" Sparrowflight walked in and stopped midsentence, her jaw hanging open. Quickly, she made her way over to Yarrowleaf and looked down at her leader's body. "Is she…?"

Yarrowleaf nodded. "Yes. She must've died during the night." Sighing, he flicked his tail. "Go get Larkfang and prepare Dewstar in the clearing. Then, you must choose a deputy before we travel to the moonstone."

Nodding numbly, Sparrowflight left. A few moments later, she reappeared with Larkfang in tow. When the white she-cat saw her leader's body, she let out a wail and shot forward. Pressing her nose into Dewstar's already cold fur, she whimpered. Sparrowflight remembered with a pang that Larkfang's mother, Brightstep, was Dewstar's last daughter before the leader grew too old to have kits, so she was Larkfang's kin. After letting Larkfang grieve for a moment, both she-cats gently carried Dewstar's body down into the clearing.

A large black tom was pushing his way out of the warriors den as they came out the ledge. Once he saw Dewstar, he disappeared back into the den then came back out with another black tom with a white muzzle and Timberspot on his heels. The three toms split up. Timberspot made his way to the nursery while the white muzzled tom vanished into the apprentices den and the black tom made his way to the medicine den.

Slowly, the clan made their way into the clearing to where Dewstar had been laid. Yarrowleaf waited until every cat was settled and looking at him. "Dewstar was a great leader, having led Thunderclan through peace throughout all her nine lives. She led us with Thistlefang, Finchleap, Jaytooth, and finally Sparrowflight as her deputies. But Starclan has called her and have received a great leader. May she travel to Starclan safely and may she always have good hunting." Yarrowleaf dipped his head; the clan followed suit, even the kits dipped their heads.

The sun rose then began to dip before Sparrowflight stirred and made her way up Highledge. The clan turned to watch her. She had not spoken to the senior warriors so none of the clan had any idea who she would choose. Raising her tail, Sparrowflight looked down on the clan. _'No…MY clan now…'_ She gazed around the waiting cats, thinking carefully. "I shall appoint my deputy, then travel to the Moonpool to receive my nine lives." She paused then continued. "Stripeclaw will be Thunderclan's deputy."

The large black tom stared at her, eyes wide. Then four of the kits jumped at him. A black she-kit pummeled his tail. "Stripeclaw!"

Her clanmates followed. "Stripeclaw! Stripeclaw! Stripeclaw! Stripeclaw!"

Sparrowflight nodded to him, her eyes glittering. The tom was known for his battle strength, not his words of peace. But he had taken over more than his brother, Hollowpelt, had. Hollowpelt sat at the back of the crowd, his eyes blazing with fury. Sparrowflight knew he wanted to be deputy next but he wasn't as patient as Stripeclaw, and he had only had one apprentice. Stripeclaw had raised three, though only two were still alive. The black tom was being surrounded by his clanmates and accepting praise.

Yarrowleaf padded halfway up Highledge. "Sparrowflight? Let's go. We must hurry."

Sparrowflight hurried and followed him out of the camp.

"Sparrowflight, it is time." Yarrowleaf dipped his head towards the Moonpool. The full moon was rising high into the sky. Sparrowflight was glad that the gathering was only tomorrow night. She knew that she didn't want to miss it. Yarrowleaf waited until she had lain down before touching his nose to the Moonpool himself. A heartbeat later, he felt grass under his paws and opened his eyes.

"Welcome." Starry shapes surrounded them. Sparrowflight stood as still as stone; only her eyes showed how nervous she was. A white she-cat stepped forward and Yarrowleaf stared as he recognized Dewstar; but she was much stronger looking. Her white pelt was lush and thick, glittering like new fallen snow on leafbare, her eyes bright.

Her voice sounded young and powerful as she spoke. "Sparrowflight, my trusted deputy for many moons." She purred and touched her nose to Sparrowflight's. "I chose well when I made you deputy. Thunderclan will have many seasons of peace with you. With this life, I give you loyalty. Use it when you feel there is something wrong with your clanmates." There was a hint of warning in her mew. Sparrowflight gasped. Yarrowleaf wondered if the life was painful for her.

A brown tom stepped forward as Dewstar returned to the ranks of Starclan cats. He padded up to Sparrowflight and dipped his head. "I am Bramblestar. I was leader after Firestar." He touched his muzzle to Sparrowflight's. "With this life, I give you courage. Use it when you feel as though all is lost." His mew was tinted with worry, though Yarrowleaf was sure he imagined it. Sparrowflight clenched her jaws in pain.

A small kit, hardly a moon old, scampered up to Sparrowflight. Yarrowleaf recognized Sparrowflight's only kit with a pang. Firekit had caught greencough and had not responded to anything Yarrowleaf had done. Sparrowleaf had become deputy not long after. Firekit touched his mother's muzzle as she stretched down to him. "With this life I give you love. Remember that the clan is not only your kits, but they are your littermates and mother and father and even your elders as well."

Sparrowflight seemed to drink up her son's life, though her legs began to shake under the weight of her third life. Once she straightened up, she looked down at her son. "I'm glad I got to see you again."

Firekit just blinked warmly at her as a large brown and black tom took his place. "My name is Sparrow That Cries To Sky. I was a tribe member before the clans. They have allowed me to give you a life." He had to dip his head slightly to touch his muzzle to Sparrowflight's head. "With this life, I give you compassion. Remember, though some cats mean well, we cannot punish them harshly for their mistakes. We can only help them in any way we can." His mew was heavily edged with warning and worry. Sparrowflight purred as this life filled her, though Yarrowleaf could see she had no knowledge of the tribe. Only the medicine cat's made a trip each newleaf to the tribe in the mountains; no apprentices or leader's or even medicine cat apprentices were allowed to make the harsh journey. Since they began that tradition, medicine cats had been taught how to hunt successfully in order to survive the trip.

A light tabby tom took Sparrow's place, his tail held high. His eyes gleamed with joy. He approached his daughter and touched noses with her warmly. "I give you a life of forgiveness. All cats are good inside, though they may not seem to be. Remember not to judge them without thinking their actions through yourself." Sparrowflight crouched down as this life flowed through her, her tail bushed out.

A tom with black and white fur, patched with golden spots, stepped forward. Sparrowflight gasped. He touched noses with her softly. "With this life, I give you tireless energy. Never let yourself move back; only go forwards. Protect your clan." He seemed reluctant to leave her in the clearing. Looking back, his eyes filled with something Yarrowleaf couldn't place, then he waved his tail then returned to the ranks. _'Oh Runningpelt…you died too young. You should have lived for many moons more.' _The young tom had been killed by a Shadowclan patrol when he had accidently chased a thrush half a mouse length over the border. The she-cat that had killed him had hit him too hard and snapped his neck. Dewstar had told Pinestar and he had punished the warrior but it was too late. He had died before Sparrowflight could tell him that she was expecting his kits.

A beautiful blue gray she-cat stepped forward. Yarrowleaf twitched an ear in surprise. Bluestar touched her muzzle to Sparrowflight's head. "I am Bluestar, I was leader many seasons ago, before Firestar. With this life, I give you hope. In time's where you think there is no way out, remember that there is always a way." Sparrowflight clenched her jaws as her muscles rippled.

Next came a light brown tabby she-cat with white legs. Yarrowleaf dipped his head to her in respect. She dipped her head back then turned to Sparrowflight. "My name is Leafpool. I was the medicine cat who many seasons ago became a warrior. With this life, I give you joy. Always bring the joy out of any situation, even death or losing precious kits." Her mew weighed heavily on Yarrowleaf's heart. As Sparrowflight purred loudly, he wondered why so many of her lives contained warnings.

As she stepped back, a light tabby tom who was almost identical to Leafpool stepped forward. Sparrowflight gasped as he quickly touched his muzzle to her head. "With this life, I give you clarity. Use it to know when a clanmate strays, or a battle looms ahead." He stepped back and Sparrowflight stood still for a few heartbeats. When she looked at him, Yarrowleaf saw a strength in her eyes that was not there before. As the other Starclan cat's faded around them, Jayfeather hissed. "When the moonlit fern grows by a river, a crow shall land on a burning ember." He fixed his blue eyes on Sparrowstar's. "Beware a fern that strays from the sunlight Sparrowstar. Be wary of a burning ember from below the sky that shall burn the fern to its roots. And above all, beware a crow."

Sparrowstar and Yarrowleaf closed their eyes and when the reopened them, they were by the Moonpool. Dawn was cresting over the mountains. Sparrowstar looked at Yarrowleaf. "We must get back to camp." Her mew was hoarse, as though she hadn't spoken in a moon.

"Tell no one of what you have seen or heard here." Yarrowleaf nodded and quickly the two cats made their way back to Thunderclan.

**Chapter 3**

"How is Fernpaw?" Sparrowstar and Yarrowleaf had returned as the dawn patrol was leaving camp. Sparrowstar was going to wait until more of the camp was awake before announcing her new name while Yarrowleaf checked on Fernpaw and Longstripe.

Longstripe looked up. His pelt was groomed and a half-eaten mouse lay in front of him and Fernpaw. Fernpaw was asleep against his flank. "I got her to eat a little bit but she seems…strange."

Yarrowleaf narrowed his eyes and sniffed her. "Strange? How?"

"She said she wanted to be a medicine cat." Longstripe's eyes darkened, his tail twitching. "Ever since she was a kit, she's wanted to be a warrior so bad. Why would she change her mind?" His mew was tight, as though he was deeply concerned for the silver she-cat.

Yarrowleaf shrugged. "Maybe she wants to make her sister proud. I'll ask her when she wakes up."

Sunhigh neared when Fernpaw woke up. She blinked when she saw Longstripe gone and quickly looked around. Yarrowleaf was sorting his herbs; once he heard her awake though he padded to her side. "Are you alright? Longstripe said you wanted to be a medicine cat. Is that true?"

Fernpaw nodded. "I want to make it up to Ivystorm."

Yarrowleaf lay down next to her. "I understand, but she'll want you to be the best warrior you can be."

"But I was the one who asked her to be a medicine cat!" Fernpaw shrieked.

Yarrowleaf blinked; he had no knowledge that the sisters trusted each other so much that one would change her mind just because the other wanted her safe. "What do you mean?"

Fernpaw sighed and laid her head on her paws. "When we were kits, about to become apprentices, I told her not to become a warrior apprentice because of her leg. She couldn't jump like me, couldn't pounce like me, she couldn't even catch Birdtail's tail correctly. I didn't want her to get hurt so I begged her to become a medicine cat. We trained together for a few days before she agreed and asked to be your apprentice. If it weren't for me, she'd still be alive!" Fernpaw buried her face in her paws and sobbed.

Yarrowleaf stroked her back gently with his tail. "I understand now why your sister always watched the warriors. But you didn't need to protect her. She needed to find out herself where her heart lies on her own."

Fernpaw curled up with her tail tucked over her nose. "But I do want to be a medicine cat. I owe Ivystorm and this is how. She wanted to be a warrior but was limited because of her leg. She would've made a great medicine cat as well but since she can't, I will."

Yarrowleaf nodded. "Very well. I'll go speak to Sparrowstar. Would you like some freshkill?"

Fernpaw shook her head and got to her paws. "I can get it myself." Shaking out her fur, she padded out of the medicine den with Yarrowleaf behind her. As he bounded up to Sparrowstar's den, Fernpaw made her way over to the warriors den. Once inside, she made her way over to Birdtail. Birdtail and Longstripe were talking but they both stopped when they saw Fernpaw standing in front of them. "I'm going to become a medicine cat."

Both cat's jaws dropped. Larkfang, who was curled up in her nest, shot her head up. Birdtail just blinked. She looked at Longstripe then shifted her paws. "Fernpaw, are you sure?"

Longstripe raised his tail and stood up. "Fernpaw…can I talk to you? Outside the camp."

Fernpaw widened her eyes but nodded. She could feel Larkfang's gaze on her tail as she followed the golden pelted tom outside the camp.

"Let's stop here." Longstripe stopped on the edge of the lakeshore, his pelt ruffled from the wind. Fernpaw sat down, her tail wrapped around her paws. Longstripe sat close to her, their pelts occasionally touched as the breeze whipped around them lightly. After sighing, Longstripe glanced down at Fernpaw. "I know you're young, but I was going to ask you to be my mate after you became a warrior."

Fernpaw felt her pelt grow hot with embarrassment and licked her chest. "Really?" She did kind of like him but she never thought about having a mate or kits. As she thought though, she began to realize that Longstripe had liked her for moons now. Since she had become an apprentice, he had always joined any patrol she was on or asked her to train with him and Sparkpaw, though the golden tom always helped her more than his own apprentice when he could.

Longstripe touched her ear with his nose, his voice soft. "Of course. You may be younger than me, but you're beautiful. You always try your hardest, even when you don't have to. Sparkpaw admires you in battle practice because you do everything perfectly and she's right."

"But it's because I was going to be a warrior!" Fernpaw dug her claws into the sand. Then she spoke quieter. "But it doesn't matter now."

Longstripe whirled on her, his teeth bared. "Fernpaw please become a warrior! I love you!"

Fernpaw stepped back, surprised by the fury and sadness in his eyes. "Oh Longstripe…I can't." Her voice faltered. "I'm sorry." Her eyes misting, she turned and pelted way from him.

"Fernpaw!" Longstripe called after her but she ignored him.

Fernpaw didn't pay attention to where she was running to. She was dimly aware of entering the forest but didn't stop until a dark shape had bowled her over. The shape hissed. "You're on Shadowclan territory!"

"Now hold on Viperfang, I think it's just lost." A deeper voice sounded. Fernpaw looked up and groaned silently. The Shadowclan deputy, Addertalon, stood there in front of two other cats. She quickly recognized Poolnose and Smokepaw, who she had seen at the previous gathering. Then she realized that it was Viperfang pinning her down. The black tom had a bad temper and was known for being vicious to other cats and had even supposedly killed a fox three moons ago, almost single pawed. Addertalon padded up to Fernpaw and stuck his muzzle in her face. "What are you doing here? Fernpaw, is it?"

Nodding, Fernpaw got to her paws when Viperfang let her up. "I'm sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going."

Addertalon snorted. "Obviously. What are you doing this far inside the border, hmm? Trying to get away from something?"

"She's probably trying to spy on Shadowclan." Smokepaw squeaked. Fernpaw remembered that the apprentice had just been announced at the last gathering, so he was still young and probably didn't think before thinking about the fact the apprentices were too inexperienced to spy on another clan. Not that the clans spied on each other anway.

Fernpaw stared at her paws. "I wasn't trying to spy on Shadowclan." Slowly, she began backing up towards the border.

"Oh no you don't!" Viperfang launched himself at her but was bowled over by a patch of gold fur.

Longstripe hissed in his face. "Let her go. She crossed the border by mistake. I'll take her back to Sparrowstar."

Suddenly the patrol stiffened, then Addertalon dipped his head in understanding. "I shall inform Pinestar about Dewstar's death. May Starclan protect Thunderclan." There was a moment of silence then Addertalon's voice grew sharp. "Viperfang, leave them alone."

Reluctantly, the dark tom returned to his apprentice's side. Longstripe nodded and together, he and Fernpaw padded back across the border.

Longstripe spoke before they reached the camp. "Fernpaw…you may be Thunderclan's next medicine cat but I still love you." He stopped and fixed her with his gaze. "Could we keep this between us?" The intensity in his eyes burned Fernpaw and made her tremble.

Fernpaw shook her head with a pang. "No. I don't want us to end up like Leafpool and Crowstar." That story had become legendary among the clans. Everyone, down to the littlest kit, knew about the medicine cat from long ago who took a Windclan mate and bore his kits not long after. Lionstar, Hollyleaf, and Jayfeather had become worthy of praise since then due to how much they had all done for the clans.

Longstripe nodded slowly, the pain in his eyes almost unbearable for Fernpaw to bear. He padded through the thorn tunnel, his tail so low it dragged behind him. Fernpaw followed him and emerged in time to see Birdtail leading him into the warriors den. Her mother shot Fernpaw a sympathetic look then disappeared into the den. Larkfang came padding out and was heading to the freshkill pile but veered away and stopped in front of Fernpaw. "Why did you have to hurt him?" Fernpaw remembered suddenly that Larkfang and Longstripe were littermates, so it was understandable that she would be worried for him.

Fernpaw shuffled her paws. "I didn't want to! I had no idea he wanted to be my mate!" Her voice started to raise towards a wail, then she spoke quieter. "I like him, but I don't want to think about mate. Not just because I'm going to a medicine cat, but because even as a warrior I don't know if I'd want one."

Larkfang nodded in understanding. "Now I see why. Give him time and I'm sure he'll get better. But Fernpaw, maybe you should stay away from Longstripe for a bit until he gets used to the idea that you won't be his mate." Fernpaw opened her jaws but Sparrowstar had appeared on Highledge.

"Let all cats who catch their own prey gather beneath Highledge for a clan meeting." Sparrowstar's pelt was groomed to silkiness, her eyes shining bright. The clan settled and Fernpaw noticed Longstripe glaring at her from the warriors den. Sparrowstar waited until everyone was paying attention. "Fernpaw, step forward." Fernpaw took a few steps into the center. "Your sister, Ivystorm, would've made an excellent medicine cat. We all agree on that. But now, it shall be your turn." A few cats muttered uncertainly but Sparrowstar silenced them with a flick of her tail. "Yarrowleaf, Ivystorm was your apprentice and you had taught her well. Since Fernpaw believes she should be a medicine cat, teach her well so that she may heal her clanmates for many seasons."

Yarrowleaf nodded and stepped forward to touch noses with Fernpaw. "I promise I'll teach you all I know."

Fernpaw nodded and was expecting the clan to cheer her name but only silence met her ears. She looked around and saw that every cat was staring at her. Head down and her tail drooping, she started padding towards the medicine den.

"Fernpaw, wait." Sparrowstar flicked her tail for the she-cat to stop. "You trained as a warrior and with your mentor's permission, you should get your warrior name now. I was going to hold your ceremony anyway tomorrow." The leader looked at Yarrowleaf and when he nodded, she turned her gaze back to Fernpaw. Her eyes shining, she stepped forward until she stood almost nose to nose with the surprised apprentice. "From this day forward, your name shall be Ferndapple. Thunderclan would've honored you as a warrior because of your intelligence and willpower, but they shall have to learn to honor you as our next medicine cat. You will not sit vigil unless your mentor says you must." She touched her nose to Ferndapple's head and the she-cat licked Sparrowstar's shoulder.

"Ferndapple! Ferndapple! Ferndapple!" Her mother's voice wrang out and the clan followed, though somewhat reluctant. Ferndapple noticed that a few cats were silent though; Longstripe let out a low mournful hiss that most of the cats ignored.

Sparrowstar waited until the cats had settled down then flicked her tail. "Now, the warriors who will be attending the gathering." The cats looked at her expectantly as Sparrowstar dragged her gaze around. "Stripeclaw, Larkfang, Longstripe, Timberspot. Redpaw and Sparkpaw may join you." She gazed at the queens. "Plumwillow, if you would like, you may join us."

A dusky gray she-cat whipped her head around in surprise. When she just stared at Sparrowstar, the leader dipped her head. Plumwillow gave a short purr and curled her tail. Her kits, a pale tabby tom named Nettlekit, Stormkit, and a dark red she-kit named Flarekit, bounced around her.

"Can we come with her?" Flarekit asked Sparrowstar, her short tail quivering.

Their father, a black tom with a single white paw and former Shadowclan warrior, picked up Flarekit by the scruff before she tripped over her own paws. Setting her down, he mewed gently. "Wait until your apprentices. Why don't you bring Amberdrop a nice shrew and maybe she'll tell you a story. Or we can play moss ball if you'd like."

Flarekit stared at her father, green eyes shining. Suddenly she leaped over Stormkit. "I'll bring her the best shrew ever!"

"Not if I get to it first!" Her brother squealed. Nettlekit just sneezed and sat by his mother. The kit rarely ever played with his siblings; Ferndapple wondered if they were too rough for the sickly kit.

Sparrowstar watched the kits for a minute then turned her gaze to the gathering patrol. "Stripeclaw, send out a patrol of the remaining warriors to hunt. Everyone get something to eat for tonight and rest." The cats broke up and headed over to the freshkill pile.

Yarrowleaf padded up the Ferndapple. "Come to the gathering, I'll introduce you as my medicine cat apprentice to the other medicine cats. But get some freshkill and then make your nest." He licked her lightly over the ear and padded back to his den.

**Chapter 4**

"Ferndapple, will you fetch me borage?" A half-moon had passed since the gathering. Yarrowleaf was standing to the entrance to the den as Ferndapple sorted through the herbs.

Ferndapple narrowed her eyes then grabbed a small hairy leaf. Padding over to Yarrowleaf, she relaxed when he nodded. Laying at her paws, she tilted her head. "Does a cat have a fever?"

Yarrowleaf let out a small purr. "No, but I'm glad you remembered it was for fevers. But borage leaves can also be given to expecting queens to increase their milk supply. Follow me." He waited as Ferndapple grabbed the leaf then trotted over to the nursery. A few red and golden leaves were falling in the clearing, though there was no kits currently outside the nursery to catch them before they touched the ground

Once inside, Ferndapple let out a small purr. Birdtail was circling in her nest, but Ferndapple could see the slight swell in her flanks. Setting down her borage, Ferndapple pressed her nose into her mother's fur. "Are they Timberspot's?"

"Yes, but don't tell him! I want it to be a surprise for when he gets back from patrol." Birdtail purred, her tail kinked over her back happily. "I'm pretty sure I'm expecting kits, so that's why I'm making my nest."

Grasstangle, the other nursing queen, snorted. Her words were sharp but her tone was light and friendly. "Of course you are. Unless you've been sneaking freshkill behind our backs." Her four kits were asleep around her. Almost five moons old, Ferndapple had seen them practicing battle moves already.

Birdtail rolled her eyes. Ferndapple stifled a purr then touched the borage leaf with her paw. "Chew this and swallow."

Yarrowleaf nodded behind her. "Come to the medicine den every day and get one leaf until the kits are born." His eyes gleamed in the dim light of the nursery as he glanced at Grasstangle. "And remember, eat as much freshkill as you want. You're the oldest queen in the nursery so you need to be as strong as you can."

Ferndapple padded out of nursery with Yarrowleaf behind her. She padded over to the freshkill pile as Longstripe pulled up beside her. He stopped beside her as she bent down to grab a chaffinch from the pile. Leaning down, he whispered in her ear. "Are you really sure you want to be a medicine cat?"

Ferndapple whirled on him her fangs bared and gleaming through the feathers. Though the chaffinch muffled her mew, he could still hear the snarl. "Yes. I told you already. I want to be a medicine cat!" Whipping around, she smacked him with her tail and stomped to the medicine den. Once she reached her nest, she practically shredded her freshkill to bits.

Yarrowleaf watched her and padded over to her, laying his tail across her shoulders. "I think the chaffinch is dead." He glanced down. "And no longer fit to eat. Why don't you go catch something fresh to calm down?"

Ferndapple looked down at her paws, embarrassed. "Sorry…I just wish Longstripe would stop badgering me about being a warrior."

"He'll accept you being a medicine cat in time. Now go catch something for yourself then come back and rest. Tonight is half-moon and we're traveling to the Moonpool with the other medicine cats." He purred and licked her ear. "I'd rather you take your anger out on a mouse than anyone else; and try not to shred it this time."

Stifling a purr, Ferndapple nodded and ran out of the camp, making the browning thorns of the entrance tunnel rattle.

"Ferndapple, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from the rivalry between Clan and Clan, and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?" Yarrowleaf sat in front of a wide pool, his tail held high. The other medicine cats sat back, their breath making small white clouds in the leaf-fall air.

Ferndapple dipped her head, her voice wringing out clear. "I do." A chill wind tasting of leaf-bare was blowing through the hollow but Ferndapple felt as warm as if it were Greenleaf.

"Then by the powers of Starclan, I welcome you as my apprentice. May not only I, and not just Starclan, lead you along this path."

"Ferndapple! Ferndapple! Ferndapple! Ferndapple!" The other medicine cat's voices wrang out as they cheered for their new fellow medicine cat.

A mottled black and gray tom with a few white patches along his flank padded up to her, his tail arched high over his back. A mottled ginger she-cat was behind him. "Congratulations Ferndapple. You have an excellent mentor."

"T-Thank you Needlespot." Ferndapple stammered to the Shadowclan medicine cat then took her place next to Yarrowleaf. Touching her nose to the cold mountain water, she closed her eyes.

"Ferndapple, wake up." Ferndapple's eyes flew open and standing in front of her was Ivystorm. When she saw that Ferndapple was awake, she let out a purr loud enough to bug a few birds perched in a nearby tree. "You mouse-brain, you didn't have to become the medicine cat in my place."

Ferndapple bounded forward and touched muzzles with her sister. "I've missed you. And yes I had to become a medicine cat; to make up not protecting you."

Ivystorm flicked Ferndapple's side. There was a terrible sadness in her eyes as she spoke. "You shouldn't have become a medicine cat. There is something down your path that even I cannot see clearly."

Ferndapple pulled away and looked at her sister, her tail now drooping. "What do you mean?"

Ivystorm looked at her paws; Ferndapple noticed they were fading. "Beware a burning ember Ferndapple…"

"Ferndapple, wake up." Ferndapple blinked and when she reopened her eyes, Yarrowleaf was shaking her with his paws. The other medicine cats were behind him, their eyes glittering with worry. Yarrowleaf flattened his ears. "Are you alright?" She could tell already that being the last to wake up was already a bad sign, let alone when the others were itching to get back to their warm nest.

Ferndapple nodded and stood up. "Yes…but I need to speak to you Yarrowleaf." She glanced at the others and they nodded. They said farewell to the Thunderclan medicine cats and left the hollow. Yarrowleaf sat down and looked at her expectantly. She sighed then spoke. "Ivystorm came to me and said I shouldn't be a medicine cat."

Yarrowleaf leapt to his paws. "What! Why?!"

Ferndapple shook her head. "She said to beware a burning ember. Would you have any idea what she meant?"

Yarrowleaf shook his head. "I'm afraid not." He sighed and got to his paws. "Let's go back to camp." Though his eyes glittered with worry, he decided to wait and see if the meaning would become clear to them soon. He was sure that Starclan had accepted his new apprentice but what Ivystorm said had him worried.

Ferndapple yawned and stretched out. In the past half moon, she had learned almost all the herb name's but still couldn't remember what they all did or the herbs used for traveling a long distance or how to mix them well. Leafbare didn't help either, with all the herbs dead from the snow and cold. Longstripe still glared at her but she didn't care anymore; she was to concerned about what she use on scratches and what had multiple uses. Padding towards the dirtplace tunnel, she nodded to the three new warriors in the center of the clearing. Leafpelt, Woodfur, and Redwhisker nodded as she passed but none of them spoke. Sparkpaw was asleep in the medicine den with a sprained paw.

Ferndapple had been very cross when the apprentice had limped into camp with a squirrel in her jaws. The injury was very small, but neither medicine cat believed she should go back to training until she could walk without limping. So she had missed her warrior ceremony, though Sparrowstar said she would get it as soon as she was out of the medicine den.

"Ferndapple, I hope Sparkpaw will be able to get her warrior name soon." Ferndapple looked up to see Sparrowstar padding out of the dirtplace tunnel.

Ferndapple dipped her head. "Of course. Provided she can keep off it for today, Yarrowleaf believes that she can receive her warrior name at dawn."

Sparrowstar nodded. "Good. And Ferndapple? Has Yarrowleaf ever mentioned a warning for Thunderclan?"

Ferndapple tipped her head to the side. "A warning?" The warning that Ivystorm had given her raced across her thoughts for a moment but Ferndapple ignored it. "No. But you may want to ask him; he may not have shared them with me."

Sparrowstar nodded and padded back to her den.

"I can't believe this! Our first gathering as warriors!" Leafpelt was whispering to her brothers as they approached the tree bridge. The full moon hung high in the sky, with no clouds in sight. It shone bright and clear in the crisp leafbare air. A small but chill breeze cut through the branches and around the cats as they made their way towards the island. One by one, the Thunderclan cats made their way cross the bridge and towards the center of island. Once she reached the clearing, Ferndapple made her way towards where the medicine cats were gathered.

The Windclan medicine cat, Rabbittail, was already waiting there with a small she-cat by his side. Her fur shone white and gold in the moonlight. He flicked his tail as Ferndapple and Yarrowleaf approached. As they settled down, Troutface of Riverclan came padding up with a dark gray tom beside him. Needlespot and Fallowear joined as the leaders made their way up the Great Oak.

"Let the clans gather!" Pinestar's croaking call wrang out and the clan cats settled down. "Shadowclan will start. We have one new warrior, Dawnsplash." The clans called her name; Ferndapple saw a pale gray she-cat basking in the attention and repressed a snort. Pinestar waited then spoke again. "Juniperbranch has given birth to a litter of two healthy kits." The clans congratulated Viperfang; Ferndapple wondered if he was the father. He certainly looked proud enough.

As Pinestar stepped back, Riverclan's leader Streamstar stepped forward. "The river is so full of fish, we may as well become one." A few purrs greeted her then she continued. "We have three new apprentices. Pebblepaw will be training as a medicine cat while Flowerpaw and Stempaw will be warriors!" The clans greeted the new apprentices. "And I must announce that our deputy, Minnowheart, is expecting kits so Reedtail shall be taking her place until she is fit to return to the gatherings." Some murmurs of congratulations. "We also have a new addition to the clan, Flamepelt." The cats all turned to look at a bright flame colored tom with ice-blue eyes. The leaders all looked at Streamstar questioningly and she shrugged and said something but Ferndapple couldn't catch what she said.

Streamstar stepped back and Hawkstar took her place. He was a large tom with a mottled brown pelt. "Windclan is stronger than ever! We have a new warrior, Hailfoot, and two new apprentices. Daisypaw will also become a medicine cat and Krestlepaw a warrior." Though his words sounded like a threat almost, the clans congratulated the new warrior and apprentices.

He dipped his head to Sparrowstar after the clans called out the new warrior and apprentice names. Sparrowstar dipped her head. "Leafpelt, Woodfur, and Redwhisker are here as warriors and their littermate Sparkpaw shall join us as a warrior after she has recovered. But squirrels are learning how to trick the apprentices into flying and injuring themselves." She added with a purr. Ferndapple heard a few cats chuckle at the small joke before Sparrowstar continued. "We have still smelled fox near the Windclan border, Hawkstar, so you may want to send warriors to check it out. It's just above the stepping stones."

Hawkstar nodded and stepped forward. "The gathering is now over."

The clans broke up and began talking to one another, there scents overlapping. Though it was leafbare, everyone was in good spirits and it wasn't cold enough to drive them all back to their nest. Ferndapple walked around the clans, congratulating those who were new warriors, chatting harmlessly about more fish and less voles among the reeds, or an angry crow nesting above Shadowclan camp, until she found herself in front of Flamepelt. His bright orange pelt seemed strange among the blue's, gray's, and whites of Riverclan.

He dipped his head. "Greetings, I am Flamepelt. You must be from Thunderclan."

Ferndapple twitched an ear and spoke cautiously. "Yes. I'm their medicine cat apprentice." His blue eyes seemed to bore into hers and she looked away, her pelt prickling suddenly. "Excuse me." Quickly, she made her way back to Yarrowleaf and sat down behind him.

"Thunderclan, follow me." Ferndapple almost felt relieved when she heard Sparrowstar's call. Padding quickly after the rest of the clan, she jumped when she felt a tail touch her shoulder but relaxed when she saw it was Yarrowleaf.

He padded next to her, his gaze questioning. She shook her head and crossed the bridge. Once across, Yarrowleaf padded next to her again. "Are you alright?"

Ferndapple nodded. "Yes, I just spoke to some of the other clans and was startled by Flamepelt, that's all." Her fur began to prickle at the thought of him again. She could still see his icy eyes watching her and his scent wreathed around her strangely.

Yarrowleaf nodded. "Troutface said he found him bleeding outside of twoleg place and treated him before the tom joined them. He already had a warrior name and even seemed to know all about the warrior code. Surprised their whole clan it seems." His gaze seemed to pierce into her fur down to the bone. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Ferndapple nodded and peered out over the lake, the flame pelted tom's icy gaze clouding her mind. She shook her head to clear the image and continued on.

**Chapter 5**

"Ferndapple, fetch me raspberry leaf. And a ball of moss soaked in water." Yarrowleaf called out from the nursery. Ferndapple ran over to the medicine den and grabbed a raspberry leaf while Birdtail followed her to get a water soaked mossball. Snow covered the clearing but both she-cats ignored it. The she-cats slipped into the nursery together. Yarrowleaf nodded and passed the mossball to Larkfang. The white warrior was laying in her nest, panting. Her stomach heaved but the queen managed to lick up a few drops of water. Yarrowleaf passed her the raspberry leaf but the queen ignored it. Ferndapple saw her stomach tighten and suddenly a kit slid out. Yarrowleaf quickly nipped the sack then passed it to Birdtail, who quickly licked it dry. Yarrowleaf nodded. "A tom. Ferndapple, feel here." He placed her paw on Larkfang's stomach.

Ferndapple felt another ripple pass through the queen. "Two more?" Yarrowleaf nodded and positioned himself where he could get to the newborn kits as they slid out. Ferndapple felt Larkfang's stomach ripple again and another kit slid out.

Yarrowleaf quickly nipped the birth sack and began licking it. "A she-cat." Ferndapple felt another ripple, slower than before, and watched as another kit slid out. Yarrowleaf quickly licked this one as Birdtail placed the other two at Larkfang's belly. The older medicine cat kept licking but the kit didn't wail.

Larkfang looked at him nervously when Ferndapple confirmed there were no more on the way. "Are they alright?" Suddenly the kit let out a wail, almost like a roar, startling everyone. Birdtail's kits, born less than a moon ago, peered out from her nest like little owlets. They were too small to be sent into the clearing, though the air was warmer now that leafbare was leaving, but their mother and the two medicine cats wouldn't let them leave the nest.

"Larkfang?" Hollowpelt called into the nursery. The tom didn't dare stick his head in; Birdtail had already scratched his nose when he had done it for the fifth time to check on his mate. "Are you alright?"

Yarrowleaf flicked his tail and Ferndapple padded out. Yarrowleaf followed once he had set the kit at her mother's belly. He turned to Hollowpelt, his eyes gleaming with joy. "You have two daughters and a son. You may go see them."

Hollowpelt slipped in and Ferndapple poked her head in to watch the new family. Giving them a purr, she slipped back out and was startled to see Addertalon and Viperfang padded through the thorn tunnel. Fangtooth was leading them in, with Blackpaw, his apprentice, and Timberspot with his apprentice, Flarepaw, behind the two Shadowclan warriors. The Shadowclan cats hissed crossly as a lump of snow fell on them as they emerged from the thorn tunnel. Ferndapple twitched her whiskers.

Sparrowstar was making her way down the Highledge trail and waved her tail for the cats to stop. Standing in front of Addertalon, she held her tail and head high. "What are you doing here? Is Shadowclan in trouble?"

Addertalon dipped his head. "No. I came to tell you that Pinestar has joined Starclan."

The clan was quiet. While Pinestar was brutal and cold, and occasionally vicious, he was well respected. He had only been a few moons younger than Dewstar when he was made leader and had led Shadowclan justly; only fighting when he thought he should and not just because he could, though no cat could forget the battle he had caused in Thunderclan moons ago.

Yarrowleaf dipped his head to Shadowclan's new leader. "Adderstar. May Starclan lead you and your clan well."

"Adderstar! Adderstar! Adderstar!" Thunderclan greeted the new leader, though most were still shocked by Pinestar's sudden passing.

Adderstar waited until it was quiet then dipped his head towards Sparrowstar. "I look forward to a peaceful time with Thunderclan." He exchanged a look with Orangestone, who nodded.

Orangestone had once told Ferndapple and Ivystorm a story about Shadowclan and Thunderclan from when he was still an apprentice; Pinestar had invaded the shoreline from Shadowclan to Windclan border and had tried to claim it as Shadowclan territory. Dewstar had sent a battle patrol to attack but though they won, the current Thunderclan deputy, Finchleap, lost his life in that battle. Dewstar had never forgiven the Shadowclan leader for the death of not only her deputy, but the father of her first kits as well. He never got to see Brightkit or Thrushkit grow up to become Brightstep and Thrushfall and Dewstar had never been friendly with Pinestar after that day. She had only been leader a short time, but she still resented Shadowclan.

The Shadowclan leader and, who every cat presumed to be the Shadowclan deputy, left the camp. Fangtooth watched them go and Ferndapple remembered with a pang that Fangtooth and Viperfang were brothers and wondered if he missed his kin, despite the fact that his mate and kits were here in Thunderclan. Shaking her head from the thoughts, she padded back into the medicine cats den to get some moss and mouse bile.

When she came padding back out, she spotted Starlingeye on the Basking Rocks but Orangestone was nowhere to be found. Padding towards the elders den, Ferndapple stopped as Sparrowstar padded towards her. Ferndapple dipped her head. "Hello Sparrowstar, is something the matter?"

"Come walk with me." The leader flicked her tail and padded through the thorn tunnel. Ferndapple followed, mystified, as her leader led her to the abandoned twoleg den where the medicine cats grew their catmint. Ferndapple dipped her head as Sparrowstar cleared a spot in the snow for them and checked on the precious herbs. Once she was satisfied that they were no longer covered with snow, she sat down next to her leader.

"Do you think I'm a good leader Ferndapple?" Sparrowstar spoke suddenly, her voice a crack in the still air.

"Of course you are Sparrowstar." Ferndapple glanced at her leader curiously. "What makes you think you are not?"

Sparrowstar sighed and turned to Ferndapple. "Starclan keep warning me of something, but I cannot make sense of it."

Ferndapple felt her spine begin to prickle. "What are they telling you?"

"Something about a crow, an ember or something, and then a fern." The leaders pelt began to bristle slightly. "I don't understand any of it. And Starclan won't explain." She spat crossly, her claws raking the ground. "They refuse to explain anything to me. It's as though they want me to know about something that is to come but want me to figure that out on my own."

Ferndapple laid her tail gently on Sparrowstar's back. "Can you remember exactly what they said?" Her pelt was prickling strangely.

"When the moonlit fern grows by a river, a crow shall land on a burning ember." She recited the prophecy, her tail tip twitching.


End file.
